Notching machine



Dec. 1940- w. M. GOLDSMITH EIAL 2,227,185

NOTCHING MACHINE Filed June 3. 1940 FIG.6.

H H S E 4 SP w 0 m GK F R a E M O N MMT R mum m LLV T vim A WW PatentedDec. 31, 194G PArsn'r FFHCE NOTCHING MACHINE William M. Goldsmith andWilliam H. Kappes,

Cincinnati, Ohio; said Kappes assignor to said Goldsmith ApplicationJune 3, 1940, Serial No. 338,554

6 Claims.

The present invention relates to a notchine machine adapted for use onthe job in preparing metallic baseboards or baseboard units for abending operation. The accompanying drawing discloses a baseboard unitof the kind to be accommodated by the 'notching machine, and though theuse or application of the baseboard unit is not material, to the presentinvention, the reader may refer to the patent of P. D. Peck et al., No.2,052,033, dated August 25, 1936, for an explanation concerningapplication of the baseboard unit on the job, or in the field. Referencemay also be had to the disclosure in the pending application of WilliamM. Goldsmith, Serial No. 288,003, filed August 2, 1939.

One of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide anotching machine which is so constructed as to be set up for work in thefield or on the job, and operated by hand to cut a notch in one flangeof a metallic baseboard unit wall where the wall is to be bent to forman angular corner wall or partition construction.

Another object is to provide a machine of the character stated withsuitable gauging means for establishing a location of a notch to be cutin the baseboard side wall flange, without requiring the use of tools orcalculations in locating the notch.

Another object of the invention is to provide a notching machine to beused as stated above, which will operate equally well upon a doublesidedbaseboard unit, or upon a single wall baseboard section.

Another object is to provide a notching machine having thecharacteristics above mentioned, and which is simple and inexpensive, aswell as durable, so that its use may be entrusted to unskilled laborwhen necessary or desirable. I

The foregoing and other objects are attained by the means describedherein and disclosed in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevationalview of the machine of this invention,showing in broken lines a metallic baseboard unit placed for receiving anotching operation.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the machine illustrated by Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmental perspective view of a metallic baseboard unitwhich has been subjected to the notching operation of the machine. I

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a punch which constitutes a detail ofthe invention,

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of a die with which the punch of Fig. 4cooperates.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a steady block that constitutes anelement of the machine.

Fig. 7 is an end View of a single basboard, double-flanged, and whichmay be notched by the machine of the invention.

An understanding of the machine of the invention may be aided by firstnoting the construction of the metallic baseboard unit, an example ofwhich is illustrated by Fig. 3. The unit comprises a pair of spacedparallel side walls l and 8 reinforced and maintained in spacedrelationship by means of a series of U-straps 9 to which the side wallsare welded or otherwise securely fixed. Usually, the base of the U-strapis provided with a perforation It} whereby the unit may be nailed orotherwise secured to a floor, it being understood that the unit of Fig.3 is shown inverted to correspond with the Fig. l illustration. The legsH and IQ of the U-strap may extend substantially the full width of eachside wall, so that its ends will reach the crotch formed by the inturnedflanges l3 and M of the unit. The flanges form an acute angle with eachside Wall, and they extend along the full length thereof. The manner ofusage of the metallic baseboard unit is of no consequence to the presentinvention, suflice it to say that the unit of Fig. 3 is merely to beinverted, placed upon a suitable support or floor, and then fastenedthereto by driving a nail through the elongated aperture it].

In the past, the installation of metallic baseboard units presented arather difficult problem when it became necessary to build a partitioncorner, or a wall corner, due to the fact that the manufacture of cornerbaseboard units had to be effected at the factory if a satisfactoryjoint was to be constructed. The manufacture of special corner pieceswas expensive, and it presented also problems arising from inaccuracy ofmeasurements and fitting, as well as shipping problems due to the shapeof the preformed corner pieces. By providing for the notching andbending of a baseboard unit on the job, the various difiiculties abovementioned are obviated, and the cost of construction work minimized toan appreciable extent.

In preparing a straight length of metallic baseboard unit for cornerbending, it is first necessary to cut away a section of one of the sidewalls, for example wall 8, thereby to provide the opposed edges 15 andit. These edges are parallel, and are at right angles to the upper benotched at I8, with approximately a 45 an-,-

gularity. To more accurately locate the line of bending Il, it may bestated that the corner IQ of the notch is directly opposite the edge 20of the flange I4. When the baseboard unit is bent along the line H, theedge I5 will sub stantially abut the wall 8 along a location indicatedby broken line 2|, assuming that a right angle bend is desired. Suchbend is disclosed also in our copending application which has been filedof even date herewith.

Fig. 1.:illustrates how the baseboard unit of Fig. 3 is to be placedtransversely of the notching machine and held in place preparatory toexecution of the notching operation. It will be noted that flange I3rests upon the inclined face 22 of a die 23, immediately beneath atriangular punch 24. The bend of the flange rests within a seat groove25 of the die block, at the base of the inclined face 22, while theinner face of unit wall I rests against a perpendicular extension 26 onthe face of the punch. The baseboard unit is to be held in the positionindicated and explained, by means of a steady block 21 which has a face28 adapted to abut the outer surface of unit wall I at an elevationabove the seat groove 25. The steady block must be displaceable from thetop of stool 29 in order to permit placement and removal of the flangedwall 1 relative to the punch and die, and to this end said block may beprovided with apertures 30 to receive the stationary pins 3| that extendupwardly from the stool 29. The stool may be part of the base 32 of thenotching machine.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that the baseboard unit may beplaced in the notching machine die, with the cut away portion of wall 8receiving the width of the notching machine, while the wall I issecurely held in place and in readiness for notching of its flange I3.As will readily be understood, the die 23 is furnished with a triangularnotch 33 having its point 34 terminating at the base of the inclinedface 22. It should be noted particularly that the notch is off-set fromthe center line of the machine, to the extent necessary for cutting. thenotch in flange I3 at a predetermined location relative to the edge I6of wall 8 as heretofore explained,.it being understood that said edge I6of wall 8 will be placed against the face 35 of the machine, to

' gauge the location of the notch to be formed in flange I3. Face 35 maybe referred to as a gauge face, as it determines the location at whichthe notch will be formed in the flange I3.

The die block 23, as will be understood, is securely held or attached tothe base of the .machine between stool 29 and an upright extension 36 ofthe base, and is preferably backed by a finished hardened backing plate31 for the punch 24.

The triangular punch may be supported for vertical reciprocatorymovement into and from the notch 33 of the die with the use of any.acceptable form of means for that purpose. By

preference, there is provided a reciprocating slide block 38 which has apair of opposed fins or guides 39 adapted to operate within verticalgrooves or ways 40 formed in the side plates 4| of the machine. To thisreciprocating slide block, the body 42 of the punch is fixedly mounted,so that the punch must move with the block. For the purpose of securingthe punch to the block, a screw 43 may be provided, for reception in anaperture 44 of the punch body, the threaded end 45 of the screw beinganchored in the slidable block 38.

At the rear of the slidable block 38 there is provided a socket 46 whichis adapted to receive the head 41 of an actuating lever 48 whereby anoperator in pivoting the actuating lever about its mounting 49, maycause the head 41 to depress the slide block for advancing thetriangular punch 24 through the flange of the baseboard unit wall andinto the complementary notch of the die 23. The handle end of theactuating lever preferably isso weighted as to alwaysmaintain the punchand slide block in the elevated position of Fig; 1. Thus it will beapparent that rotation of the actuating lever in a clockwise directionis required in performing the punching or 'notching operation.

The side plates 4| of the machine may be mounted upon the spacedparallel upright extensions 5|] of the machine base, which extensionsare so spaced apart as to accommodate the width of the actuating lever.The mounting of the side plates may be by means of screws, bolts orother suitable fasteners 5|.

The operation of the machine of the invention is as follows:

With the need arising for a metallic baseboard corner construction, themechanic measures the baseboard unit of Fig. 3 for determining thelocation of the required bend, and for determining the position at whichthe bend is to occur, he saws or'shears the baseboard wall 8 along theline I6. Then, measuring to the left a distance which is at least asgreat as the width of the baseboard unit, he saws or cuts along the lineto form the edge I5. The distance between edges I5 and I6 will always beatleast as great as the width of the punching machine head, that is, theover-all distance between the outer faces of the side plates 4|. Havingsawed out the section between edges I5 and I6, the mechanic will removethe steady' block 2'! from the stool 29, and will place the baseboardunit substantially about the side plates of the machine, with the solidwall I in fiatwise abutment againstthe plane outer face 26 of the punch,while-the flange rests against the inclined face 22 of the die, andwithin the seat groove 25 thereof. Then by placing the steady block 21upon the guide pins 3|,

the baseboard unit is securely held in position to receive the punchingor notching operation. The operator need only elevate the free end ofthe actuating lever to cause the punch to descend against the flange I3of the baseboard unit, thereby to form the notch automatically in apredetermined relationship to the edge I6 of the opposite baseboard unitwall. 'As was previously explained, the operator before actuating thepunch, will see that the edge I6 of the unit wall 8 is flush against thegauge face 35 of the machine, theeifect of which is to so locate theflange I3 with relation to the punch, as toform the corner I9 of thenotch at a location directly opposite the terminus 20 of the opposedflange I4.

Having performed: the punching operation, the

operator removes the steady block and lifts the punched baseboard unitfrom the machine.

Thereafter, the notched baseboard unit is to be subjected to anothermachine located at the job, 5 for bending the unit wall I along a line Hwhich intersects or bisects the point or base of the notch in theflange. The result of the bending operation is to form a cornerconstruction which will be neat and substantial, as well as durable,without the aid of welding or otherwise joining any of the baseboardconstituents. As previously explained, the bending operation willdispose the edge l5 along the line 2| of wall 8 when a right angledcorner is required, and this will result in a neat corner bothinteriorly and exteriorly of the angle construction thereby formed. Theoperationis a simple one, and may be performed more accurately and withless expense on the job, than it may be effected at the factory uponorder or specification, to fit the requirements of the job.

In Fig. 7 is illustrated a single wall baseboard 53, which has doubleflanges 54 and 55 formed along its upper and lower edges. This type ofbaseboard, as well as the double type illustrated in Fig. 3, can beaccommodated by the notching machine of this invention. In order thatthe singlebaseboard of Fig. 7 may restflatwise against the outer face 26of the punch when place upon the die and held by the steady block 21,the face 26 and also the forward edge 56 of the machine side plates, arecut back or disposed rearwardly a distance which is at least as great asthe extent to which the upper baseboard flange 54 extends from the innerface 51 of the baseboard wall. By means of this construction, thenecessary clearance is provided for permitting the doubleflangedbaseboard to stand erect while undergoing the notching operation. Thebaseboard of Fig. 7 40 will assume the same position with relation tothe punch and die, as does the side wall '1 of the baseboard unitillustrated by broken lines in Fig.

1. On exceptionally wide baseboard side walls,

the upper flange 54 may be disposed entirely 45 above the side plates ofthe machine, and this of course will not interfere with looking the sidewall in place for the punching or notching operation.

It is to be understood that various modifications and changes may bemade in the details 50 of the notching machine, within the scope of theappended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine for notching the flange of a 55 metallic baseboard unithaving a rectangular part of one side wall opposite to the flangeremoved, thereby presenting opposed spaced edges on said one side wall,said machine comprising a triangular punch and die arranged for relative60 movement, a pair of sides spaced apart a distance less than the spacebetween said spaced edges on the side wall of the baseboard unit,whereby the unit envelopes part of the machine sides when placed withits flange upon the die,

65 and a gauge face on one of the machine sides to provide an abutmentfor one of the spaced edges of the unit side wall, said gauge facehaving its plane meeting and intersecting a cutting edge of thetriangular die at an angle approximating 7O forty five degrees.

2. In a machine for notching the flange of a metallic baseboard unithaving a rectangular part of one side wall opposite to the flangeremoved, thereby presenting opposed spaced edges on said 75 one sidewall, said machine comprising a triangufor one of the spaced edges ofthe unit side wall,

whereby to locate the flange to be notched, relative to the punch anddie, by gauging the previously severed unit flange to the machine sidewhich carries the gauge face aforesaid.

3. In a machine for notching a continuous flange of a metallic baseboardunit whose opposite flange and associated side wall are cut away along aportion of their length, thereby presenting opposed spaced edges on thesevered side wall, said machine comprising a base, a pair of side platesupstanding upon the base with their outer faces spaced apart a distanceless than the length of the cut-away portion of the unit side wall,whereby the opposed spaced edges thereof meet the side plates of themachine at right angles when the baseboard unit is applied preparatoryto a notching operation, a die on the machine base having an onsettriangular socket of which a small section of its cutting edge issubstantially overhung by one of the upstanding side plates of themachine, said one side plate being planar to provide a butt gauge forone of the opposed spaced edges of the unit wall, for locating thecontinuous flange of the baseboard unit with relation to the die socketand said one edge of the unit wall which abuts the gauge, areciprocating complementary punch supported for movement toward and fromthe socket of the die, and an actuating lever for manually reciprocatingthe punch.

4.. In a machine for notching a continuous flange of a metallicbaseboard unit whose opposite flange and associated side wall are cutaway along a portion of their length, thereby presenting opposed spacededges on the severed side wall, said machine comprising a base, a pairof side plates upstanding upon the base with their outer faces spacedapart a distance less than the length of the cut-away portion of theunit side wall, whereby the opposed spaced edges thereof meet the sideplates of the machine at right angles when the baseboard unit is appliedpreparatory to a notching operation, a die on the machine base having anoffset triangular socket of which a small section of its cutting edge issubstantially overhung by one of the upstanding side plates of themachine, said one side plate being planar to provide a butt gauge forone of the opposed spaced edges of the unit wall, for locating thecontinuous flange of the baseboard unit with relation to the die socketand said one edge of the unit wall which abuts the gauge, areciprocating complementary punch supported for movement toward and fromthe socket of the die, and an actuating lever for manually reciprocatingthe punch, said lever having a free end weighted to normally maintainthe punch in an elevated relationship to the die, rendering the machinenormally receptive of a baseboard unit to be operated upon.

5. In a machine for notching a continuous flange of a metallic baseboardunit whose opposite flange and associated side wall are cut away along aportion of their length, thereby presenting opposed spaced edges on thesevered side wall, said machine comprising a base, a pair of side platesupstanding upon the base with their outer faces spaced apart a distanceless than the length of the cut-away portion of the unit side wall,

whereby the opposed spaced edges thereof meet the side plates of themachine at right angles when the baseboard unit is applied preparatoryto a notching operation, a die on the machine base having an offsettriangular socket of which a small section of its cutting edge issubstantially overhung by one of the upstanding side plates of themachine, said one side plate being planar to provide a butt gauge forone of the opposed spaced edges of the unit wall, for locating thecontinuous flange of the baseboard unit with relation to the die socketand said one edge of the unit wall which abuts the gauge, areciprocating complementary punch supported for movement toward and fromthe socket of the die, an actuating lever for manually reciprocating thepunch, and displaceable means on the machine base for bracing the unitside wall whose flange is to be notched, and for temporarily lockingsaid flange in place upon the die.

6. In a machine for notching the flange of a metallic baseboard unithaving a rectangular part of one side wall opposite to the flangeremoved, thereby presenting opposed spaced edges on said one side wall,said machine comprising a triangular punch and die arranged for relativemovement, a pair of sides spaced apart a distance less than the spacebetween said spaced edges on the side wall of the baseboard unit,whereby the unit envelopes part of the machine sides when placed withits flange upon the die, and a gauge face on one of the machine sides toprovide an abutment for one of the spaced edges of the unit side wall,whereby to locate the flange to be notched, relative to the punch anddie, by gauging the previously severed unit flange to the machine sidewhich carries the gauge face aforesaid, and means cooperating with thedie for temporarily locking to the die the flange to be notched.

WILLIAM M. GOLDSMITH. WILLIAM H. KAPPES.

